Geranium plant named ‘Pacabla’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of Regal  Geranium  plant named ‘Pacabla’, characterized by its upright plant habit; vigorous growth habit; freely basal branching habit; and large dark red purple-colored flowers.

Botanical designation: Pelargonium×domesticum.

Cultivar denomination: ‘Pacabla’.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application is co-pending with the following application: Geranium Plant Named ‘Pacapur’; Andrea Michalik, applicant.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Regal Geranium plant, botanically known as Pelargonium×domesticum, and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Pacabla’.

The new Regal Geranium is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Dresden, Germany. The objective of the breeding program was to develop new Regal Geraniums that did not require a cooling treatment for flower development.

The new Regal Geranium originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor during 2001 of two proprietary selections of Pelargonium×domesticum, not patented. The cultivar Pacabla was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a flowering plant within the progeny from the stated cross-pollination in a controlled environment in Dresden, Germany in 2002.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by terminal cuttings in a controlled environment in Dresden, Germany since 2002 has shown that the unique features of this new Regal Geranium are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations of asexual reproduction.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Pacabla’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Pacabla’ as a new cultivar and distinguish it from other known Regal Geranium cultivars:

-   -   1. Upright plant habit.     -   2. Vigorous growth habit.     -   3. Freely basal branching habit.     -   4. Large dark red purple-colored flowers.     -   5. Does not require cooling treatment for flower development.

Plants of the new Regal Geranium differ primarily from plants of the parent selections in flower coloration.

Plants of the new Regal Geranium can be compared to plants of the cultivar Pacapur, disclosed in U.S. Plant patent application Ser. No. 11/077,419. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Dresden, Germany, plants of the new Regal Geranium differed from plants of the cultivar Pacapur in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Regal Geranium had lighter green-colored         leaves than plants of the cultivar Pacapur.     -   2. Plants of the new Regal Geranium flowered earlier than plants         of the cultivar Pacapur.     -   3. Plants of the new Regal Geranium and the cultivar Pacapur         differed in flower coloration.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying colored photograph illustrates the overall appearance of the new cultivar, showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Flower and foliage colors in the photograph may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Regal Geranium. The photograph comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Pacabla’ grown in a container.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

Plants of the cultivar Pacabla have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment, such as temperature and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The aforementioned photograph, following observations and averaged measurements describe plants grown during the spring in containers in Dresden, Germany, and under commercial practice in a glass-covered greenhouse with day temperatures about 18° C., night temperatures about 16° C. and light levels less than 60,000 lux. Plants used for the photograph and the description were about five months old. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 1995 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Pelargonium×domesticum cultivar Pacabla. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of             Pelargonium×domesticum, not patented.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary selection of             Pelargonium×domesticum, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type cutting.—Terminal cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots.—Summer: About 12 days at 23° C.             Winter: About 14 days at 23° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant.—Summer: About 30 days             at 23° C. Winter: About 32 days at 23° C.         -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous; white in color.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching, moderately dense. -   Plant description:     -   -   General appearance.—Upright plant habit; uniformly mounded;             inverted triangle; densely foliated.         -   Growth and branching habit.—Vigorous growth habit. Freely             basal branching habit with about seven to nine lateral             branches per plant.         -   Plant height, to top of umbels.—About 27 to 32 cm.         -   Plant height, to top of foliar plane.—About 24 to 28 cm.         -   Plant width.—About 28 to 30 cm.         -   Lateral branches.—Length: About 2 to 5 cm. Diameter: About 6             to 8 mm. Internode length: About 1 cm. Texture: Slightly             pubescent. Color: Close to 144A.         -   Foliage description.—Arrangement: Alternative or opposite;             simple. Length: About 6 cm. Width: About 9 cm. Shape:             Palmately lobed. Apex: Acute. Base: Cordate; open. Margin:             Biserrate. Venation pattern: Palmate. Texture, upper and             lower surfaces: Pubescent; leathery. Color: Developing             foliage, upper surface: 144A. Developing foliage, lower             surface: 143B. Fully expanded foliage, upper surface: 137B;             venation, similar to lamina. Fully expanded foliage, lower             surface: 137C; venation, 143A. Petiole: Length: About 5 to             7 cm. Diameter: About 2 to 3 mm. Texture, upper and lower             surfaces: Pubescent. Color, upper and lower surfaces: Close             to 144A. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower arrangement.—Single rotate flowers arranged in             rounded hemispherical umbels arising from apical leaf axils.             Umbels displayed above the foliage on strong peduncles.             Flowers face upright to outward. Flowers not persistent.             Flowers not fragrant.         -   Quantity of flowers.—About seven umbels per plant each umbel             with about eight flower buds and open flowers.         -   Flowering season.—Year-round under greenhouse conditions. In             the garden in Dresden, Germany, flowering is continuous             during the spring and summer. Plants do not require a             cooling treatment for flower development.         -   Flower longevity.—Individual flowers last about five to             eight days on the plant.         -   Umbel height.—About 7 to 8 cm.         -   Umbel diameter.—About 9 cm.         -   Flower diameter.—About 5.5 cm.         -   Flower depth (height).—About 3 cm.         -   Flower buds.—Length: About 3 cm. Diameter: About 1.2 cm.             Shape: Elliptic. Color: Close to 144A.         -   Petals.—Quantity per flower: About five. Length: About 4 to             4.5 cm. Width: About 3.5 to 4 cm. Shape: Obovate. Apex:             Rounded. Base: Attenuate. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and             lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; satiny. Color: When             opening and fully opened, upper surface: Darker than 59A;             towards the margin, close to 53B; towards the base, close to             155D; venation, darker than 59A. When opening and fully             opened, lower surface: Darker than 59A; towards the margin,             close to 53B; towards the base, close to 155D; venation,             darker than 59A.         -   Sepals.—Quantity per flower: Five, arranged in a single             whorl. Length: About 1.7 cm. Width: About 5 to 6 mm. Shape:             Lanceolate. Apex: Acute. Base: Attenuate. Margin: Entire.             Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Pubescent. Color, upper             and lower surfaces: Close to 144A.         -   Peduncle (umbel stem).—Length: About 5 to 6 cm. Diameter:             About 3 mm. Strength: Strong. Texture: Pubescent. Color:             Close to 144A.         -   Pedicel (individual flower stem).—Length: About 2.5 cm.             Diameter: About 2 mm. Strength: Strong. Texture: Slightly             pubescent. Color: Close to 144A.         -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Stamen quantity per flower:             About eight. Anther shape: Oblong. Anther color: Dark red             purple. Pollen amount: Abundant. Pollen color: Orange.             Gynoecium: Pistil quantity per flower: One. Pistil length:             About 1.6 cm. Stigma shape: Parted. Stigma color: Dark red             purple. Style length: About 1 cm. Style color: Dark red             purple. Ovary color: Close to 144A.         -   Seed.—Length: About 2 to 3 mm. Diameter: About 1 mm. Shape:             Elliptic. Color: Brown. -   Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Regal Geranium have not     been observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Regal     Geraniums. -   Garden performance: Plants of the new Regal Geranium have been     observed to tolerate rain, wind, and temperatures ranging from 10 to     25° C. 

1. A new and distinct cultivar of Regal Geranium plant named ‘Pacabla’, as herein illustrated and described. 